Boxoffice Podcast

This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk recap the opening weekend of “Wuthering Heights” and cover all the latest news in theatrical exhibition. Then in the feature segment, Daniel speaks with Barry Hertz, Deputy Arts Editor at the Globe and Mail, about his new book Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious, the Blockbusters that Supercharged the World. 

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00:00 Intro
00:21 Episode Preview Barry Hertz Interview
01:00 Weekend Box Office Kickoff and Weathering Heights Opening
06:11 Weathering Heights $38M Debut Analysis
08:00 Warner Bros.’ Ninth #1 in a Row
08:21 Sony’s Goat Opens to $35M
08:44 Amazon MGM’s Crime 101 Overperforms
11:43 Amazon MGM’s 2025 Slate Momentum
13:00 Disney Hits $1B Globally in February
14:00 Warner Bros. Sale Update
14:26 New Fast & Furious Release Date 2028
16:02 Barry Hertz Joins the Podcast
17:00 Discovering the First Fast & Furious
21:00 From Street Racing Article to Global Franchise
23:26 How the Franchise Went Global
29:00 Was Tokyo Drift Almost Direct to DVD?
30:00 Justin Lin Reinvents the Series
33:00 Universal and Vin Diesel Decline Participation
37:57 On Set Tensions and Diesel Johnson Rift
39:00 Scrapped Villain Super Team Plans
41:00 What’s Happening With Fast X Part 2?

This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk discuss all the Big Game trailer spots from Super Bowl LX. Then in the feature segment, Rebecca speaks with Sirāt director Óliver Laxe about the impact of the film on audiences and the importance of the theatrical experience. 

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01:33 Super Bowl Trailer Roundtable Begins
03:19 Major Trailer Omissions (Spider-Man, Avengers)
04:00 Scream 7 Big Game Spot & Presales
05:29 Super Mario Galaxy Marketing Push
06:06 First Look at Supergirl
07:28 Amazon MGM’s Project Hail Mary Trailer
10:26 Pixar’s Hoppers Original IP Test
14:20 Minions and Monsters Title Reveal
16:20 First Footage: The Mandalorian & Grogu
23:37 Spielberg’s Disclosure Day Wins the Game
25:36 Kevin James Viral Marketing for Solo Mio
27:05 Weekend Box Office Recap
27:49 Stray Kids Event Cinema Breakout
30:38 Netflix’s Adventures of Cliff Booth Debate
32:18 Transition to Oliver Laxe Interview
33:47 Interview: Cinema as Catharsis
35:53 Why SIRĀT Must Be Seen Theatrically
37:22 Warning About Streaming-First Deals
38:39 Early Cinema Memory: The Bear
39:18 The Sacred Energy of Theaters
41:16 Making a Radical Film Popular
42:10 Reaching Younger Audiences
44:00 “Bitter Medicine with Honey”
45:18 Influences from 1970s American Cinema

This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk discuss the opening weekend of 20th Century Studios’ Send Help along with Iron Lung and the Amazon/MGM Studios’ documentary Melania. Then in the feature segment, Rebecca speaks with Proctor Companies’ Michael Giacinto about the evolution of dine-in cinema, highlighting the company’s recent renovation of Alamo Drafthouse’s Mountain View, California location. 

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This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk cover the weekend box office and review the 2026 Oscar nominations. Then in the feature segment, Rebecca speaks with Wynn Salisch, the president of the Mid-South Theatre Association and Casablanca Payments, to preview the Mid-South Theatre Convention coming up in Memphis, TN from March 30 to April 1. 

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What to Listen For
00:42 Weekend Box Office Overview
01:00 Mercy Takes #1 in Weak January
01:35 Post-Avatar Box Office Slowdown
02:00 Upcoming Releases & Tracking Forecasts
03:00 Indie & January Action Releases
04:15 Documentary Box Office Expectations
05:00 UK & Ireland Box Office Forecast
06:02 Oscar Nominations Overview
07:04 Major Oscar Snubs & Surprises
08:27 Best Picture Race Breakdown
10:00 Supporting Acting Categories
16:00 Lead Actor & Actress Races
23:00 Director, Editing & Score Discussion
39:39 International Feature Film Race
42:00 Technical Awards & Visual Effects
43:31 Best Picture Predictions
48:57 Mid-South Theater Convention Promo
50:04 Interview: Win Salish Begins
55:00 Value of Regional Theater Conventions
01:00:00 Future of Exhibition & Gen Z
01:02:31 Registration Reminder & Wrap-Up

This week on the Boxoffice podcast, co-hosts Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk discuss the latest news in theatrical exhibition, including a disappointing opening for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple and new quotes from Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos on a 45-day theatrical window for Warner Bros. titles. Then in the feature segment, Daniel speaks with Matthew Frank, associate editor of The Ankler, about his insights following a cross-country trip to visit 58 movie theaters across the U.S. 

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What to Listen For
00:00 Intro
02:00 Weekend Box Office: 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple Performance
04:34 Netflix, Warner Bros., and the 45-Day Theatrical Window Debate
10:37 Q1 2026 Box Office Outlook and Market Performance
11:21 Amazon MGM’s Mercy Forecast and International Expectations
16:31 Feature Interview Begins: Matthew Frank’s Cross-Country Theater Road Trip
20:09 Inside Independent Cinemas and Small-Town Theater Realities
24:12 How Release Date Changes Hurt Local Exhibitors
28:42 Highlights From Visiting 58 Movie Theaters
33:00 Premium Formats, Renovations, and Industry Challenges
35:33 How Cinemas Can Improve the Moviegoing Experience